1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed generally to apparatus and methods for painting or printing graphics onto walls, ceilings, floors or surfaces of non-planar or curvilinear substrates. More specifically, the invention relates to computerized apparatus and methods for applying graphics to surfaces.
2. Description of Related Art
A popular means for varying the appearance of a dwelling, storefront or other building is the application of murals or other graphic displays to a wall, ceiling or floor. The owner can customize a design or picture that adds variety to a living space or provokes conversation among guests and customers. The design is then either painted directly onto the desired surface by an artist or painted onto a material that is applied to the surface. Unfortunately, artists that can reliably paint designs onto a wall or other surface are expensive and the process can take weeks or months to complete.
Previous inventions have attempted to simplify the painting of walls, floors and ceilings. U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,657, to Melendez, discloses an apparatus for painting walls that uses adjustable sets of spray nozzles supplied by a pressurized paint source. The apparatus is mounted on wheels and can be manually pushed across the surface of a wall. The use of the nozzles ensures even painting of the surface. The invention is designed for painting a single color onto a wall and does not allow for customized designs to be painted. Only a single color and horizontal/vertical orientation of each set of nozzles may be altered. Additionally, the apparatus uses multiple stationary paint nozzles, spaced in such a way that an entire section of the painting surface may be covered without gaps in a single pass. Movement of the apparatus is not automated, and it must be manually pushed across the width of the surface being painted.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,398,869, 6,319,555 and 5,944,893, to Anderson, attempt to automate movement of the painting device and to provide more customized coloration. The patents claim aspects of a specific print head device, in which paint is applied to an elongated filament and then blown from the filament onto a printing medium, such as vinyl, paper or plastic film. The patents disclose the possibility of using a rigid frame on which the printing device can be mounted. The patents also disclose the computerized control of the direction and coloration of printing performed by the particular print head.
The Anderson inventions are not usable for painting walls, floors or ceilings. The rigid frame disclosed in the patents' dicta seems to be a simple mount for the print head and does not control or possibly even allow movement of the print head about the frame. The rigidity of the frame mount prevents adaptability to surfaces of varying widths and lengths. No features are described that would maintain or vary the distance of the print head from a wall to avoid obstacles in the path of the print head. The Anderson invention is also unable to print around corners to a second surface at an angle with the first.
Hence, there is a great need in the art for an apparatus and method for applying graphics to surfaces such as walls, floors or ceilings. The apparatus must be portable and readily scalable to apply graphics to surfaces of varying sizes. It must be capable of painting or printing customized graphics communicated to it by a remote or connected computing device. The movement of the printing device across the surface being painted or printed must be automated. It should also be able to account for the topography of the surface and any obstacles, such as door and window frames, electrical outlets and switches, and the like. It should also be able to print seamlessly around corners.